Sports timer



April 15, 1941- R. STEENECK 2,238,756

SPORTS TIMER Filed Nov. 19, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R. s'r EE NECK 1-? ATTORN EY April 15, 1941. R. STEENECK SPORTS TIMER Filed Nov. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

INVENTOR R. STEENECK w fikm ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1941 SPORTS TIIVIER Robert Stceneck, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Western Union Telegraph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 19, 1936, Serial No. 11 1324 12 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to timing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of this nature adapted for use in timing a contest or athletic event, such as for example, a hockey game.

In a large majority of the games or sport events which have large followings, time is an important element in determining the course of progress of the game or event. Heretofore the method usually employed in timing a game of this nature was for an ofi'icial charged with that duty to use a stop watch or like device of which he was in full charge and at many times throughout the game was visible to no one except himself. As the audience or spectators are oftentimes as interested in the elapsed playing time or the time remaining to play in timed contests, especially at nearing the end of a playing period, as they are in the skill displayed by the contestants or participants, large manually con trolled clocks, visible to the spectators, indicating the approximate time played or to be played are sometime employed. These clocks are usually intermittently set by an attendant from a stop watch under his own control or as nearly as possible from the stop watch of the oflicial timekeeper, and sometimes during the excitement of the game the attendant forgets or neglects to set the clock. Obviously, such methods lead to discrepancies in the official time and that indicated by the clock visible to the audience and are very annoying to the spectators and sometimes even to the contestants.

Therefore, the general object of this invention is to provide a large dial clock, or a plurality thereof, operating in synchronism which may be clearly visible to the spectators or those in attendance at the contest or event and which is operated by an official or oilicials of the contest or event.

Another object of the invention is to provide a large dial clock visible to an audience or spectators-of an event operable by an oflicial timekeeper or anyone else in substantially the same manner as an ordinary stop watch.

Another object is to automatically stop the time clock or clocks at the end of each period of play and to automatically operate a signal indicative of the termination of the period of play.

In professional hockey the regular period of play is twenty minutes while in usual amateur contests the period of play is but fifteen minutes and in the event of tie scores at the end of the last regular period of play, overtime periods of ten or some other number of minutes are usually played. As clocks timing such games are preferably adapted to indicate the time remaining in the period of play, it is desirable to have the end of all regular and overtime periods of play indicated at the same point on the clock.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide a clock for timing and indicating predetermined variable periods of play in which the end of all periods of play are indicated at a common point on the clock.

The penalties imposed on a hockey team for various infractions of the rules of the game is to usually put one or more of the players out of the game for variable lengths of playing time. The usual time a player is put off the ice is either two or five minutes, at the end of which time he is again allowed to enter the contest.

Several players at a time may be off the ice" being put oil together or during various stages of the game, and consequently each player may require a. separate sub-oflicial timekeeper to time his penalty period. Obviously, such practice lends itself to much confusion to the timekeepers, the contestants and the spectators, and especially when time out periods occur when one or more of the players are off the ice," it

being necessary for accurate timing of the penalty periods for the sub-official timekeepers to stop and start their stop watches in unison with the official timekeeper.

Therefore, still another object of this invention is to provide a timing apparatus visible to the spectators, such as for example, one for accurately timing individual, collective and/or overlapping penalty periods occurring in a period or periods of play wherein time out" periods occurring during penalty periods do not affect the penalty periods relative to the length of the periods of play.

A further object of the invention in connection with the above object is to provide indicators such as lights which may be arranged in a plurality of two colored groups visible to the official timekeepers and/or spectators for indicating the length of a penalty by the number of lights in a group illuminated, the number of players penalized by the number of groups illuminated, the team penalized by the color of the lights illuminated and the elapse of a penalty P riod by progressively extinguishing the lights.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for timing an athletic game or contest wherein the human element is reduced to a minimum.

These and other more specific objects of the invention defined by the terms of the appended claims will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a clock face or dial indicating device controlled by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in section of the operating and control mechanism for the indicating elements of the clock face;

3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fla. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; Fig. '1 is an exploded view showing thearrangement of one set of elements employed in controlling one set of indicating elements on the clock face and a schematic arrangement of the electrical circuits therefor;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits and the relationship of certain of'the mechanical parts and the controls therefor employed in timing the periods of play of an event or contest;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits and the relationship of certain of the mechanical parts and the controls therefor employed in reducing by a predetermined amount or amounts the periods of play of a contest.

Referring first to Fig.1 which shows an elevational view of the clock face preferably employed with thislinvention, two hands is and M are employed to indicate the time remaining in a period of play although they could be equally well sectional view taken on line 6-6 of adopted to indicate elapsed time of a period of play. The clock face is preferably of such a size as to be clearly visible and perceptible to all the spectators and players but where this is impractical a plurality of adjacent or remotely disposed clock faces may be employed, the indicating elements being operated by a common means, or remotely disposed means operating in unison and controlled from a common means, as will be apparent in the following description. The larger hand |4 hereinafter referred to as the seconds hand is adapted, as will be more fully described, to rotate in a clockwise direction at the speed of One revolution per minute. The end of the hand i4 cooperates with divisions I6 on the face I! of the dial to indicate the amount of rotation. The

smaller hand l3 hereinafter referred to as the' minutes hand is also arranged to rotate in a clockwise direction, making one complete revolution in the probable maximum length of time or periods of play into which a game is usually divided. Thus, the hand l3 will make one complete revolution in twenty minutes as this is the maximum length of a period of play employed in professional hockey. However, both of the hands i3 and [4 are adapted to cease rotation during time out" periods as will be hereinafter explained in keeping with the characteristics of the game. The hand I3 is arranged to cooperate with an inner scale It or divisions on the clock face I! and indicate the number of minutes left in a period of play. As the hand i3 rotates clockwise the divisions, of course, are numbered in reverse order from the progress of the hand.

The face ll of the clock is preferably square or rectangular and prominently displayed at the four corners thereof are groups of lights indicated in general by reference numerals I9, 20, 2| and 22. Each group of lights comprises five lights arranged in a horizontal row and the groups l9 and 26 are preferably of one color and the groups 2| and 22 of another color, such as red and blue respectively. The manner in which these lights are illuminated and extinguished and the reasons therefor will be hereinafter described.

The driving mechanism for the clock hands and the timing control elements will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 2, a part of a normally constantly rotating motor M is shown, which may be a synchronous motor driven from a well regulated alternating current supply or any other type motor held at a substantially constant speed by governors or speed controlling means well known in the art. A worm gear 24 secured to the motor shaft 26 for rotationtherewith by a screw 21 meshes with another gear 23 located directly below the worm gear. The gear 23 is secured to a hub 26 which in turn is secured by a set screw 3| for rotation therewith to a shaft 32. The shaft 32 is Journaled adjacent its right hand end in a hexagonal bearing post 33 which is supported from a base plate 34. The left hand end of the shaft 32 is suitably journaled in a gear box 36, Fig. 5. Fixed to the shaft 32, Fig. 2, for rotation therewith. by a set screw 31 at the left of the bearing post 33 is a collar 38. The collar has formed on its left hand face a series ofradial teeth 33 and it forms the driving member of a hereinafter described clutch. Loosely mounted on the shaft 32 adjacent the collar 33 is another collar 4| which has teeth 42 formed on its right hand face similar to the teeth 39 in the collar 36. The collar 4| comprises the driven member of the clutch. Operatively connected to the collar 4| by means of interengaging tongues 43 and grooves 44 is a sleeve member 46. Connected to the sleeve 43 are gears (not shown) within the gear box 36 Fig. 5 whereby the speed of a shaft 41 extending from the gear box rotates at a three hundred to one reduction in speed from that of the sleeve 46. The speed of the motor M and the gears 24 and 26 are arranged in the preferred embodiment so that the shaft 32 will make three hundred revolutions per minute. Therefore, with a three hundred to one speed reduction in the gear box 36, the shaft 41 will rotate at a speed of one revolution per minute when the clutch members 4| and 38 are engaged.

The operation of the clutch will now be described. Aclutch magnet 48, Figs. 2 and 5, mounted to the base plate 34 has an armature 49 pivoted on a screw 5|. The upper end of the armature 49 is in operative relation with a side cam surface 62 formed on the collar or driven member 4|. The armature 49 of the magnet 46 cooperating with the side cam surface 52 controls the operation of the clutch. With the magnet 46 deenergized and the collar 4| in its normal rest position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the teeth 42 and 33 are disengaged. Assume that the magnet 43 is subsequently energized causing its armature 43 to pivot about the screw 6| and move the end thereof out of engagement with the side cam surface 52. A spring 63 coiled about the sleeve 46 and disposed between fianges on the sleeve 46 and collar 4| thereupon forces the sleeve to the right, Fig. 2, to bring its teeth 42 into engagement with the teeth 39 of the rotating driving member 38. The collar 4|, the sleeve 46 thereupon rotate with the shaft32 at a speed of three hundred revolutions per minute and as the sleeve 46 and the shaft 41 are geared together at a ratio of three hundred to one, the shaft will rotate at a speed of one revolution per minute and continue to do so as long as the magnet 46 remains energized. When the magnet 46 is deenergized a spring 64 pivots the armature 49 in a counter clockwise direction, Fig. 5, to place the end thereof against the circumference of the rotating collar 4| and in the path of the side cam surface 52. As the collar 4| approaches its rest position, the side cam surface 52 engages with the curved end of the armature 48 and is forced to the left, Fig.2, which brings its teeth 42 out of engagement with the teeth 38 of the driving member 38. The end of the armature 48 then engages the section of the side cam surface 62 parallel to the axis thereof and stops further rotation of the collar 4|. A lever 66 pivoted on a shoulder screw 61 extending from the side of the gear box 36 has pivoted on one end thereof a jockey roller 68. A spring 68 attached to the lever 86 holds the jockey roller 68 in engagement with a cam 6| integral with the sleeve 46 and tends to hold the collar 4| in its cammed out position until the magnet 48 is again energized. The energization and deenergization of the magnet 48 is under the controlof the oilicial timekeeper whereby he controls the rotation of the shaft 41 in accordance with the rules of the game. As the clock is designed to indicate the time remaining in a period of play, it must be stopped during time out" periods and this is accomplished by breaking the circuit to the clutch magnet 48 as will be hereinafter described. The clutch is on the shaft 32 rotation at three hundred revolutions per minute and therefore the clock can be stopped during any revolution thereof or within a fifth of a second.

The seconds hand I4 is secured adjacent the right hand end of the shaft 41 for rotation therewith by a screw 62 and with the clutch magnet 48 energized will make one revolution per minute. The minutes hand I3 is driven from the shaft 41 through a planetary gear system. A planet wheel mounting disc 63 is secured to the shaft 41 by set screws 64 and carries one or more, preferably two, sets of planetary gears 66 and 61 directly connected to each other by a shaft 68. The shaft 68 is free to rotate in the bearing furnished by the planet wheel mounting disc 63. Two internal gears 68 and 1|, one on each side of the disc 63, loosely mounted on the shaft 41, mesh with the planetary gears 66 and 61, respectively. A sleeve 12 loosely mounted on the shaft 41 has the gear 1| secured thereto for rotation therewith by screws 13. The sleeve is pivotally supported in a bearing post 14 and also serves as a journal for the right hand end of the shaft 41. Secured by a screw 16 to the right hand face of the sleeve 12 is the above mentioned minutes hand I3. Thus the minutes hand I3 is adapted to rotate with the internal gear 1|. The internal gear 68 is loosely mounted on the shaft 41 and a friction member 11, such as a felt disc, is disposed between the left hand face thereof and a disc member 18. The disc is fixed to a hub 18 loosely mounted on the shaft 41 and operatively connected to a collar 8| by means of interengaging tongues and grooves 82 and 83, respectively. The collar 8| is fixed to the shaft 41 for rotation therewith. A spring 84 coiled about the collar 8| and hub 18 presses the disc 18 and friction member 11 against the internal gear 68. Thus the gear 68 tends to rotate with the shaft 41 through the action of the friction member 11 but is normally prevented from doing so by the end of the armature 86, Fig. 4, of a so-called "out time magnet 81 engaging one of the notches 88 formed in the periphery of the internal gear 68. The cut time magnet 81 is supported by an angle bracket 88 which is secured to a magnet base 8| supported by the base plate 34. The cut time magnet armature 86 is pivotally supported on a pin 82 and the upper bent end 83 thereof is normally held in one of the notches 88 in the periphery of the gear 68 by a spring 84.

Each of the internal gears 68 and 1| have seventy-two teeth and the planetary gears 66 and 61 each have twenty and nineteen teeth, respectively. Therefore, with this arrangement of gears and with the gears 68 held stationary and acting as a sun wheel, the gear 1| will make on revolution for every twenty revolutions of the shaft 41. The theoretical description of a similar planetary gear system is fully given in a U. S. Patent issued to R. Steeneck et al., October 17, 1939, No. 2,176,438, and is thought to be well enough known and understood in the art without requiring a more detailed description herewith. The reasons for employing a. planetary gear system instead of a straight spur gear reduction of twenty to one will be apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 5, a horizontal mounting plate 86 is secured to the top of the gear box 36. Two bearing posts 81 and 88 secured to the plate 86 have suitably journaled therein a shaft 88. Two other similar bearing posts I8I and I82 secured to the plate 86 have suitably journaled therein a second shaft I83. A hub I'84, Fig. 5, secured to the shaft 41 for rotation therewith by a. screw I86 has attached thereto a gear I81. The gear I81 meshes with another gear I88 located above. The gear I88, Fig. 2, is fixed to a hub I88 which in turn is secured by a screw III for rotation therewith to the right hand end of the shaft 88. A hub II2, Fig. 2, secured by a screw II3 to the left hand end of the shaft 88 for rotation therewith has attached thereto a gear H4. The gear II4 meshes with and drives a gear II6 attached to a hub II1 which is secured to the shaft I83 for rotation therewith by a screw II8. As hereinbefore described the shaft 41 is adapted to rotate whenever the clutch is engaged and adapted to be at rest when the clutch is disengaged. Therefore, with the shafts 88 and I83 directly connected, as described, to the shaft 41, they will rotate only when the shaft 41 is rotating. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the gears I81 and I88 are so arranged that their a respective shafts 41 and 88 will rotate at a ratio of slightly more than two to one respectively. The ratio of slightly more than 2 to 1 between the shafts 41 and 88, respectively, is required so that two minutes will elapse before the shaft 88 has made one complete revolution for reasons hereinafter pointed out. Also the gears H4 and H6 are arranged so that their respective shafts 88 and I83 will rotate at.a ratio of five to two respectively.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 89, in the preferred embodiment, are four similar commutator units indicated in general by reference numerals II 8a to |I8d. Normally each of these commutator units are held from rotation with the shaft 88, as hereinafter described, but each unit may be separately released at any time to rotate with the shaft. Each commutator unit |I9 comprises a disc I2I, Figs. 2 and 3, a disc cam I22 and a spacer I23 all clamped together and in relative position to one another by screws such as I24. The cams I22 and the spacers are preferably composed of electrically insulating material such as Bakelite. Between each commutator unit I I8 and the next one is a metal disc I26 and a friction element I21 such as a felt disc. The metal discs I26 are adapted to slide along the shaft 88 but are keyed thereto for rotation therewith. A spring I28 coiled about the shaft 88 exerts a force along the axis of the shaft and keeps each disc HI and spacer I23 of each commutator unit H9 engaged with a felt friction element I21 or a disc I29. Collars I29 and I3I secured tothe shaft 99 serve as stops for the slidable elements on the shaft 99 and by adjusting the position of the collar I29 the force of the spring I29 may be varied. Thus it is evident that as the shaft 99 rotates each of the commutator units II9 will tend to rotate therewith through the triotional action of the disc I29 and felt washers I21. Loosely mounted on the shaft I93 are four commutator units indicated in general by reference numerals I32a to I32d. These commutator units I92 are substantially the same as the commutator units H9 and com-prise a disc I33 and two cams I34 and I39. The commutator units I 32 are adapted to be frictionally rotated from the shaft I93 in the same manner as the commutator units II9 are rotated from the shaft 99, a spring I31 in this case supplying the force to keep the rotating and rotatable elements frictionally engaged.

Two posts I39 and I39 extending vertically from the plate 99 have secured horizontally across the tops thereof by screws I a contact set mounting bar I42. Mounted horizontally on the top of the bar I42 by screws I49 are four sets of contacts I44a to H411. The lower spring of each contact set I44 is in operative relation with the cam I22 on an associated commutator unit II9, each cam I22 having an associated contact set I44 and with the commutator unit in its normal position the cam I22 holds the assoeiated contact set closed. Mounted on the underside of the bar I42 by screws I49, Fig. 6, are four single contact springs I41, one associated with each of the contact sets I44 and commutator units H9. The single contact springs I41 are U-shaped and the contact element thereon cooperates with the end of an associated adjustable screw I49 to make and break electrical contact therewith which in turn is supported in the insulating bar I42. A bar I49 mounted on the plate 99 beneath the insulating bar I42 has secured thereto by screws II four individual magnet brackets I52. Each bracket I52 has mounted thereon by a screw I53 a so-called two minute penalty magnet i54. Pivoted on a screw I59 in the bracket H52 is the magnet armature I51. Each commutator unit H9 has an associated magnet I54 and a projection I 59 on the right hand side of the armature I51 as shown in Fig. 6 is in operative relation with the disc I2I of an associated commutator unit Ila. Normally the projection I59 is in a notch I55 in the disc I2I and thereby holds the associated commutator unit II9 from rotating with the shaft 99. An insulating block 059 attached to the upper left hand side of the armature I51 cooperates with its associated U-shaped contact spring I41 to cause it to make and, break the electrical connection between it and its associated screw I48 in a manner hereinafter described. Thus each commutator unit II 9 has associated therewith a spring contact set I 44 in operative relation with and adapted to be operated by the cam I22 on the commutator unit, a U-shaped contact spring I41 with an associated contacting screw I49, and a magnet I54 with an armature adapted to release the commutator II9 for rotation with the shaft 99 and concomitantly actuate the associated spring I41 to make and break contact with its associated contacting screw I49.

Two other posts I9I and I92 Fig. 2 extending vertically from the plate 99 have horizontally mounted across the top by screws I93 an insulating bar I94. Attached by screws I99 to the top of the bar I94 are four groups of two spring contact sets such as I91a to I9Id and I99a to Illd. The contact springs extend horizontally and the lower contact spring of each group of the contact sets I91 and I99 are each in operative relation with the periphery of the hereinbefore mentioned cams I34 and I39 respectively on an associated commutator unit I32. Associated with each set of contacts I91 and I99 and mounted by screws I99 Fig. 6, to the underside of the bar I94 is a single U-shaped contact spring "I. Mounted horizontally in they bar I94 are screws I12 and the end of each one is in operative relation with the contact element on an associated U-shaped contact spring "I. A bar I13 mounted on the plate 99 beneath the insulating bar I94 has attached thereto by screws I14 four magnet brackets I19. Attached to each bracket I19 by a screw I11 is a so-called "five minute penalty" magnet I19. Associated with each magnet I19 is an armature I19 pivoted at the lower end thereof on a screw I9I in the bracket I19. An insulating block I92 attached to the upper right hand end of each armature I19 is in engagement with one of the associated U-shaped contact springs HI and as hereinafter described the armature I19 actuates the'contact spring whereby its contact element makes electrical connection between it and its associated screw I12. A projection I93 on the left hand side of each armature I19 is in operative relation with the disc I33 on each of the commutator units I32. Normally the projection I93 is in a notch I94 in the disc I33 and thereby holds the disc and the associated commutator unit from rotating with the shaft I93. From the above description it is evident that each commutator unit I32 has associated therewith two spring contact sets I91 and I99 in operative relation with the cams I34 and I39, respectively, on the commutator unit; a U-shaped contact spring "I and associated contacting screw I12; and a. magnet I 19 with an associated armature I19 for releasing the commutator unit for rotation with the shaft I93, the armature also being adapted to operate the spring "I to contact its associated contacting screw I12.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, a contact set I89 is mounted by screws I91 to a block I99 supported from the base plate 34. The lower contact spring of the contact set I99 is in operative relation with a disc I99 adapted to rotate with the shaft 41'. When the disc I99 is rotated to a position which allows the end of the lower contact spring of contact set I99 to enter a notch I9I in the disc, the. contact set I99 is adapted to be closed and for all other rotatable positions of the disc I89 the contact set I89 is opened. An angle bracket I 92 is secured by screw I93 to a block I94 supported from the base plate 34. Attached to the bracket I92 by screws I99 are three vertically disposed contact sets I91, I99 and I99. The contact sets I91 and 599 are normally closed and the contact set I 99 normally opened, An

insulated lug 29I fixed to the planet wheel mounting disc 93 is adapted to engage a spring of the contact set I91 and open the same at a certain point in the rotation of the disc. Another insulated lug 292 fixed to the periphery of the internal gear H is adapted to engage a spring of the contact set I99 and open the same as at a predetermined point in the rotation of the gear H and a third lug 293 rotating with the internal gear II is in operative relation with the contact magnet 48 and the relay 2I2 and completes a.

set I" and is adapted to close the same at another predetermined point in the rotation of the gear 1|.

The manner in which the clock is manually started and automatically stopped at the beginning and ending respectively of periods of play and manually stopped and started at the beginning and ending respectively of time out periods will now be described. The above mentioned manual operations are performed by the offlcial timekeeper operating a double pole switch 204, Fig. 8, having four terminals 206, 201, 208 and 209, At the beginning of a period of play the timekeeper operates the switch 204 to connect the terminals 201 and 209 which applies ground from circuit from battery at its tongue through its make contact to a gong 223 or other audible or visible signaling means. Thus the clock hands are automatically stopped, the light 2I8 extinguished and a signal given to the timekeeper and spectators that the end of the period of play has been reached. It is evident that the above circuit will be automatically closed only when the clock hands are both at their upright vertical position. At the end of each period of play the timekeeper operates the switch 204 to terminal 209, over a conductor H I, through the and through a lamp 2I8 to battery, thus causing the lamp 2I8 to be illuminated. The circuits to one or more lamps such as 2I8 may be completed by the energization of magnet H2 and one may be located adjacent to the clock and another in the direct view of the timekeeper which when illuminated indicate to the spectators and timekeeper that playing time is elapsing. The clock hands l3 and I4 continue to rotate until the end of the playing period at which time they are automatically stopped as hereinafter described or until the timekeeper operates the switch 204 in connection with a'time out period. Assume that the clock is running and the timekeeper desires to stop it for a time out period. He thereupon operates the switch 204 to connect the terminals 206 and 208 thereof which opens the circuit completed on the previous operation thereof or the circuit to the relay and magnet 2I2 and 48 respectively. With the magnet 48 deenergized the clutch will be disengaged as hereinbefore described to stop the clock hands and with relay 2I2 deenergized, the circuit to the lamp 2I8 is opened, thus extinguishing the lamp. At the end of the time out period the switch 204 is operated to again connect the terminals 201' and 209 together whereupon the circuits to the clutch magnet 48 and to the lamp 2I8 are completed and the clock hands resume their movement. The time out periods may occur as often as necessary during which time the clock hands cease to move and the lamp 2I8 is extinguished. Thus when the lamp H8 is illuminated it indicates to the timekeeper, the players and the spectators that playing time is passing and the clock operating.

Every time the second hand I4 passes through its upright vertical position, the notch I9I in the disc I89 allows the contact set I86 to close. Just a degree or two before the minutes hand I3 reaches its upright vertical position, the lug 203 on the internal gear 1| directly connected to the minutes hand closes the contact set I99. When both contact sets I86 and I99 are closed simultaneously, a circuit is completed from ground through the two contact sets, over a conductor 2I9, through the tongue and break stop of a relay 22I, over a conductor 222 and through connect terminals 208 and 208 together, which prepares the circuits for the starting of the following period of play and completes a circuit from ground, through the at this time closed contact sets I86 and I99 over conductor 2I9 through the terminals 208 and 208 of the switch 204, over a conductor 224 and through the coil of the relay 22I to battery. This causes the energization of relay 22I which looks itself up through its tongue and make contact and breaks the circuit through its tongue and break stop to the coil of the relay 2H5. The deenergization of relay 2I8 causes the circuit to the gong 223 to be opened and completes the circuit from battery at the tongue of relay 2I8 through the coils of relays 48 and 2I2 to the terminal 201 of the switch 204. Thus the circuits are restored to their normal condition ready for the timekeeper to operate the switch 204 to connect ground to the terminal 201 of the switch at the beginning of the following period of play and concomitantly open the locking circuit to the relay 22I.

The manner, the apparatus and the electrical circuits whereby the clock is adapted to automatically record variable periods of play and end each of such periods of play with both of the clock hands in their upper vertical position, will now be described. Three keys 221., 228 and 229, Fig. 9, called the out time key, the ten minute period key and the fifteen minute period key, respectively, are each located in a keyboard adapted to be operated by the timekeeper. Each of the keys 221, 228 and 229 are normally open and each have one side thereof connected to ground by a conductor 23I. The other side of the key 221 is connected by conductors 232 and 233 through the coil of the out time magnet 81 to battery. The other side of the key 228 is connected by a conductor 234 in parallel to the tongue and one side of the coil of a relay 238. The other side of the coil of relay 236 is connected to the conductor 233. The side of the key 229 that is not grounded is connected by a conductor 231 in parallel to the tongue and one side of the coil of a relay 238. The other side of the coil of the relay 238 is connected to the conductor 233. The make contacts of relays 236 and 238 are connected by conductors 239 and MI through the normally closed contact sets I98 and I91, respectively, to ground.

Assume that with a clock such as the one herein described designed primarily for use where the periods of play are ordinarily twenty minutes long, it is desired to have the clock time a period of play fifteen minutes long. Obviously, the length of shortened periods of play should be decided prior to the beginning of the period. If the period of play is to be fifteen minutes, the timekeeper, prior to the starting of the clock as hereinbefore described, operates the key 229. The key 229 needs to be operated only momentarily and its operation applies ground over conductor 231, through the coil of relay 238, over conductor 288 and through the coil of the out time magnet 81 to battery, causing the energize tion of the relay 288 and the magnet 81. As relay 288 operates, ground is applied through the contact set I81, over conductor 2, through the make contact set and tongue 01' the relay 288 and through its coil to keep it and the magnet 81 energized. With the hands of the clock in their normal zero position the contact set I88 will be closed. The energization of the magnet 81 causes the end of its armature 86, Figs. 2 and4, to be withdrawn from a notch 88 in the periphery of the internal gear 69. The magnet 81 remains energized because the circuit thereto is completed through the locked up relay 238. Now when the timekeeper subsequently operates the switch 284 to start the clock into operation, the internal gear 89 or the sun wheel will rotate with the shaft 41 through the action of the triction member 17. As hereinbefore described, the disc 18 rotates with the shaft til and tends to rotate the gear 68 therewith through the friction member 11. With the internal gear 89 and the planet wheel mounting disc 63$ both rotating with the shaft 41, there will be no relative rotation of the planet gears 68 and ti, hence the internal gear 1i will also rotate with the shaft 41 and at the same speed. [is the minutes hand i3 is directly connected to the internal gear ll 7 and the seconds hand it to the shaft M, the hands will rotate together. When the clock hands i8 and M have rotated together about eighty-five degrees from their normal position, the lug 28! on the periphery oi the internal gear ll opens the contact set 59?. locking circuit to the relay 238 and to the mag= net 81. Thereupon the magnet 0V is deenergized and the end of the armature 86 rides on the eriphery of the internal gear 60. When a notch 88 in the gear 69 is opposite the end of the armature 86, the spring 9% puns it into the notch and thereby stops further rotation of the gear 69. As the shaft M continues to rotate the gear 68, acts as a sun wheel as hereinbefore described and thereafter causes the clock hand to rotate at a rate of twenty to one. The notch 88 that the armature @6 will drop into, for the above mentioned conditions, is so out that when the seconds hand id completes its first revolution, the minutes hand will indicate fourteen minutes of the period of play left. Therefore, after an elapse of fifteen minutes of play the clock will automatically stop with its hands in their upright vertical position.

In substantially the same manner a period of play may be automatically shortened to ten minutes by the timekeeper operating the key 2220.

This causes the energization of the relay 2% which looks itself and the magnet ill up until the clock hands have rotated a sumcient amount to allow the lug 2&2 to open the contact set i538 and the locking circuit to the relay 236 and thereafter cause the gear 69 to act as a sun wheel.

By closing the key 2271 and holding it closed for predetermined lengths of time, the timekeeper may energize the time out magnet 87? to allow the minutes hand Ill-3 to rotate with the seconds hand it to any one of a number of predetermined positions. The number of positions in this case is determined by the number of notches 88 in the periphery of the internal gear 88, In the preferred embodiment of the invention there are nineteen notches in the pe- This breaks the keeper by holding the key 221 closed and watching the progress of the two hands rotating together around the face of the clock may by releasing the key 221-. when the hands indicate any number of minutes left to play on the scale I8, adapt the clock to,time a period of play containing that many minutes. The hands are not disengaged the moment thekey 221 is released but continue to rotate together until the minutes hand It has rotated a fraction of one division on the scale l8 equal to substantially the fraction of a whole revolution that the seconds hand has rotated from normal position at the time the key is released. This, of course, is determined by the fact that there are only nineteen notches 88 in the periphery of the internal gear 88 and twenty divisions on the scale l8. Thus the minutes hand I3 is always in register with one of the minute indicating marks on the scale l8 when the seconds hand I4 passes through its upright vertical or zero position. This also insures that both of the hands reach their zero position together and automatically stop the operation of the clock at the end of a period or play as hereinbefore described. It is evident that with this arrangement the time out periods do not affect the time of the prearranged periods of play as the clock is stopped during the time out periods. Obviously, other keys such as 22-8 and 229 with associated relays 288 and 239, contact sets E98 and !91 and lugs 282 and 2M, respectively, may be employed to automatically adapt the clock to register various predetermined periods of play and ii the number of such keys were increased to nineteen, the key ztlwould not be necessary.

The operation of the penalty timing apparatus will now be described. There are four separate penalty timing units in the preferred embodiment of the invention, two' being provided for each contesting team of the contest. Thus tour distinct penalty timing operations may occur at any time in a game. This number of units is considered to be sufllcient to take care of the timing of all the penalties that might occur at any one time in a hockey game but it will be evident that more units could be very easily incorporated into the clock if desired. Each penalty timing unit consists of one or each. of the commutator units H9 and H32 with their associated elements and one of the groups of lamps it to 22 on the clock face. Associated with each penalty timing unit and located at the official timekeepers position is a two minute penalty key such as 244, Fig. 7, and a live minute penalty key such as 246. These keys 2 and 24d initiate the operation of their asso' ciated penalty timing units as will be described. Fig. i shows an exploded view of two of the commutator units such as H912 and I32! and the relation of their associated elements along with a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections therefor, the operation of which unit riphery of the internal gear 69. Thus the time 7.5

will be described. Assume thatthe referee'decides to penalize a player by keeping him out of the game for two minutes. Such decisions usually occur during a time out period and therefore the clock will be stopped As the player leaves the game, the timekeeper operates the key 244 to momentarily apply ground from the make stop thereof, through the key 2, over a conductor 249 and through the coil of its associated two minute penalty magnet I54 to battery. This causes the energization of magnet I 54 which rocks its armature l51to withdraw the projection I58 from engagement with the notch I55 in the disc I2I, and also causes the insulation I58 at the upper end of the armature to actuate the associated U-shaped contact spring I41 so that its contact element engages its associated screw I48. The armature I51 is prevented from returning to its normal position and allowing the contact spring I41 and screw I48 to be disengaged, although the magnet I54 may be immediately deenergized, by a small bell crank 248 which is pivoted on a screw 248 carried in the disc I2I. As the armature I51 rocks to its energized position, the projection I58 thereon becomes disengaged with the notch I55 in the disc I21 and the top left hand end of the bell crank 248. Thereupon, a spring 25I is allowed to pivot the bell crank 248 a small amount to bring the left hand end into alignment with the projection I58 on the armature I51. Now when the magnet I54 is subsequently deenergized, the spring I41 rocks the armature I51 to bring the projection against the left hand end of the bell crank I48 and further pivoting of the armature is prevented. The movement of the armature, however, toward its normal position is not sufficient to allow the disengagement of the spring I" and its screw I48. The

I screw I48 is grounded and when the U-shaped contact spring I41 makes contact therewith, three parallel circuits are completed therefrom; the first is over a portion of a conductor 252, through a lamp 20b and over a conductor 258 to battery, thus causing the lamp to be illuminated; the second circuit is from the grounded contact spring I41 over a section of conductor contact set to open. As the contact set 2441) opens, it breaks the circuit to the lamp 20a and thereby causes it-rto be extinguished. This indicates to the spectators, the player penalized and the timekeeper that one minute of the two minute penalty has been served. Obviously, if time out is called during a penalty period, it is prolonged by an amount equal to the time out period or periods because during time out periods the clock is stopped and shaft 99 does not rotate during such times. After an elapse of two minutes of playing time the commutator unit II9b will have made nearly a complete revolution which allows the projection I58 on the armature I51 to drop into the notch in the disc I2I. Such movement of the armature allows the spring I41 to be disengaged from the screw I48 and opens the circuits therefrom, previously described, to the lamps 20b and 251, causing said lamps to be extinguished. As the lamp 28b is extinguished, it indicates that the complete penalty period has been served and the penalized player is allowed to re-enter the game. As the lamp 251 is extinguished it indicates, as hereinafter provided, that the penalty unit is again capable of being operated. The notch I55 in the disc I2I is of such a length relative to the width of the projection I58 that the projection is allowed to enter before the 252, over a conductor 254, through the normally closed contact set I44b, over a conductor 258, through the lamp 20a and over conductor 258 to battery, thus causing this lamp to be illuminated; the third circuit is from the grounded contact spring I41 over a portion of the conductor 252, through a lamp 251 and over conductor 258 to battery, thus causing this lamp to be illuminated. The lamps 20a and 2817 are the first two lamps of the group indicated in general by reference numeral 28 in Fig. 1. The lamp 251, Fig. '7, is located at the timekeepers position adjacent the two minute penalty key 244 and when illuminated indicates to the timekeeper that the associated penalty unit is in operation.

As stated above, time out is ordinarily called when a player is penalized. Therefore, the clock will be stopped and the shaft 99 at rest. When the game is again resumed and the clock started as hereinbefore described, the commutator unit II9b will no longer be prevented from rotating with the shaft 99, as the projection I58 normally holding the commutator from rotating is held out of the notch in the disc I2I by the bell crank 248. Thus the commutator unit N91) is free to rotate with the shaft 98 whenever it rotates, through the action of the friction elements I21. After the commutator unit I I9?) has rotated a few degrees from its normal position, the bell crank 248 rotates out of engagement with the projection I58 on the armature I51 and the projection rides on the periphery of the disc I2I, during which time the armature continues to hold the contact spring I41 engaged with its screw I48.

After the commutator unit II9b has rotated for exactly a minute with the shaft 99, or the clock has been in operation for one minute, the lower spring of the contact set 417 will drop into the cut away portion of the cam I22 and allow the disc has rotated a sufflcient amount to bring the left hand end of the bell crank 248 opposite the projection. A slight amount of rotation of the disc I2I thereafter causesthe upper left hand surface of the bell crank 248 to engage the projection I 58 and then more rotation of the disc causes the bell crank to pivot about its mounting screw 249 to bring the lower edge of the leftwardly extending arm against a pin 258 in the disc. At this time the upper surface of the left arm of the bell crank 248 and the notch are in alignment and they both engage the projection I58 and prevent further rotation of the commutator unit II 9b. The fact that a part of a revolution of the disc I2I is required to reset the latch 248 makes it necessary that it rotate at a speed somewhat less than one-half a revolution per minute as with the above arrangement the latch 248 cannot be reset, during the timing of a two minute penalty period. Thus the unit is returned to normal ready to be released to time another penalty period. There is a period after the lamps 20b and 251 are extinguished, equal to the time required for the commutator unit to rotate the length of the notch I55 in the disc I2I, less the height of the projection I58, before the unit can be again released to time a penalty period. This period is preferably as short as possible and during this period the contact M417 is closed by its lower spring riding to the high part of the cam I22.

The timing of a five minute penalty period is substantially the same as timing a two minute period and is initiated by the operation of the five minute penalty key 248. As the key 246 is operated, it momentarily applies ground from its make contact over a conductor 259, through the coil of the five minute penalty magnet I18, over conductors 26I and 249 and through the coil of the two minute penalty magnet I54 to battery, thus momentarily energizing these magnets. As the magnet I54 operates, it causes the lamps 20a, 20b, and 251 to be illuminated as hereinbefore described and the operation of the magnet I18 causes a lamp 262 and the lamps 20c, 20d and 20e to be illuminated as hereinafter described. As the armature I19 of magnet I18 operates, it

causes ground from the screw in to be applied over its associated U-shaped contact spring I'll, to complete four parallel circuits therefrom; the first circuit is from the spring "I over a portion of a conductor 283, through the lamp 262 and over conductor 253 to battery; the second circuit is from the spring I'll over a. portion of the comductor 263 and through the lamp Me to battery; the third is from the-spring ill over a portion of the conductor 263, through the normally closed contact set I611), over a conductor 264 and through the lamp 200 to battery; and the fourth is from the spring Ill over a portion of the con= doctor 263, through the normally closed contact set i681), over a conductor 266 and through the lamp 20d. to battery. This causesthe illumina tion of the lamps Zoo, 2%, 28c and 262 along with the illuminated lamps Zoo, 20?) and 25'l. The armature lid is held in its operated position to keep the spring ill in contact with the screw M2 by an associated bell crank 26W on the disc H33 in the same manner as the armature l5'l is held operated. The lamp its and the lamps 2th and Hi are extinguished at the end of the first and second minutes of play respectively in the same manner as for a two minute penalty. At the endof three minutes of play the cam tilt of commutator unit [1322b will have rotated a sufficient amount to allow the associated contact set lilo to open and break the circuit to the lamp 20c, thus causing lamp to be extinguished. After four minutes of play the cam I136 allows the contact set 06% to open, breaking the cir-= cult to the lamp (Edd and thus causing it to be extinguished. After an elapse of five minutes of playing time the disc 933 allows the armature M9 to return to normal position and in so doing allows the spring ill to open the circuits to lamps and 262 causing them to be extinguished. Thus the lamps Zilc to Elle are progressively after the elapse of one to five minutes respec" ly of playing time. The commutator unit 5 r is brought to rest its normal position in c ame manner as the corn mutator unit 6 iilh aim of its rotation, the cams 13d and 11 cause the contacts Mill; and [1682) respectively to close.

As the clocl-z does not ordinarily-operate between periods incompleted penalty periods will extend into the next period as in accordance with the rules of the game.

The preferred embodiment of the invention employs three other penalty units which oper= ate in exactly the same manner as the one dge= scribed, and the penalties on the various units may overlap as each unit has independent op= crating and control means. 01 course, more units could easily be added by lengthening the shafts 98 and tilt and providing additional groups of lights such as G9 to on the clocl; face. It is also obvious that the number of lamps in a group such as it) to 22 on the cloclr face could be varied and With'slight modifications of the invention as shown, be adapted to time or lndicate various other length penalty periods, the two and five minute penalty periods being chosen as the most apt to occur in a hockey game. As hereinbefore stated, two of the groups of lights on the clock face are of one color and the other two of another color. The two difierent colored groups are assigned to the two teams and thus the spectators can more readily distinguish when the players on each team are penalized.

As illustrated, the clock mechanism is designed to control but a single pair of hands but by prohug the last few degrees A viding a plurality of clock mechanisms, they could all be controlled from a common control board. It is also conceivable that the driving mechanism might be suspended'irom the center 01' an arena and control the hands on a. plurality of opposed clock faces by directly connecting the hands of all the clock faces together and having the groups of lamps such as I! to 22 connected in parallel.

It is obvious, of course, that various modification of the apparatus and circuits shown herein may be made without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of .the invention and its is desired therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

3.. In a time clock movement embodying a time indicator and means for driving said indicator at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator and means for normally driving said second indicator at a relatively slower speed than said first mentioned indicator, means for moving said second named means at the speed of said first mentioned means, automatically controlled means for restoring the speed of said second mentioned means to normal at any one of a plurality of predetermined points in the course of its movement, and means operable prior to the starting of said clock movement for determining at which one of said predetermined points said automatically controlled means restores the speed of said second mentioned means to normal.

2. "in a time clock movement embodying a time shaft and a time indicator rotatable therewith at a predetermined speed, a second time shaft and a second indicator rotatable therewith normally at a relatively slower speed than. said first mentioned time shaft, manually controlled means for rotating said second mentioned shaft at the speed of said first mentioned shaft, automatically controlled means for restoring the speed of said second mentioned shaft to normal at any one of a plurality of predetermined points in the course of its rotation and means operable prior to the start of said clock movement for determining at-which one of said predetermined points said automatically controlled means restores the speed of said second mentioned shaft to normal.

3. in a time clock having a pair of time indicators with means for normally rotating the time indicators at relatively difierent speeds for measurement, means for rotating the slower one of said indicators at the start thereof at the nor mal speed of the other of said indicators, means operable prior to the start of said clock for choosing a setting point for said slower indicator from a plurality of predetermined setting points for setting the slower indicator and means whereby the slower one of said indicators automatically resumes its normal speed at the chosen one of the plurality of predetermined points in its rotation.

l. In combination with a game timing apparatus having a pair of hands for indicating the progress of a sports event, a plurality of signaling elements, manually controlled means for simultaneously operating a plurality of said signaling elements and means automatically operated by said game timing apparatus for progressively rendering said signaling elements unoperated.

5. In combination a clock for indicating the progress and termination of an event comprising periods of intermittent activity, such as sports events, time indicating means starting from a predetermined position for indicating the summation of intervals of activity as the event progresses, means for starting and stopping .the clock to advance the time indicating means in accordance with the transpiration of each of said intervals, means for automatically stoppingthe clock when said time indicating means reaches a predetermined stopping position indicating the total expiration of an allotted time interval,

means operative prior to the initial starting of 1 said clock for automatically changing the length of an allotted time interval from a normal time to any one of predetermined changed time intervals, means whereby the termination 01 said normal and changed time intervals occur when said indicating means-reaches said predetermined stopping position, a plurality of groups 01' signaling elements disposed adjacent said time indicating means, means for manually operating predetermined numbers of said signaling elements and automatic means controlled by said clock for progressively rendering said signaling element inoperative in a predetermined time relationship with respect to operation of said clock.

8. In a timing apparatus, a first time indicator and means for driving said indicator at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator and means for normally driving said second indicator at a relatively slower speed, each of said indicators normally being at rest, means for initiating the movement of said indicators, means for rotating said second indicator at the speed of said first indicator and means operable prior to the initiation of movement of said indicators for determining at which one oi. a plurality of predetermined points in its course 01' movement the speed of said second indicator is automatically restored to normal.

"I. In a timing apparatus, a first time indicator and means for driving said indicator at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator and means for driving said second time indicator at a relatively slower speed whereby said second indicator normally makes one cycle of operation in a predetermined number of cycles of operations of said first indicator, said driving means normally operating to drive said indicatons simultaneously at said respective speeds, means for starting said timing apparatus, means for moving said second indicator at the speed 01 said first indicator to any one of a plurality of predetermined points in its cycle whereby the number of cycles of operation of said first indicator for one cycle of operation of said second indicator is varied and means operable prior to the start of said timing apparatus for determining the point in the cycle of operation of said second indicator to which it is rotated at the speed of said first indicator.

8. In a time clock movement embodying a first time indicator movable at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator normally movable at a relatively slower speed, said second indicator moving a first predetermined distance on each cycle of operation thereof, said first indicator normally moving a second predetermined distance during the movement of said second distance, means for moving said second indicator at the speed of said first indicator, means operable prior to the start of said clock movement for determining the amount 01' movement of said second indicator at the speed of said first indicator and means for automatically restoring the speed of said second indicator to normal after having moved the determined amount at the speed of said first indicator.

9'. In a time clock movement embodying a first time indicator movable at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator normally movable at a relatively slower speed, means for moving said second indicator at the start of said clock movement at the speed of said first indicator and means operable prior to the start of said clock movement for determining at which one or a plurality of predetermined points in the course of its movement the speed of said second indicator is restored to normal.

10. In a time clock movement embodying a first time indicator movable at a predetermined speed, a second time indicator normally movable at a relatively slower speed, said first indicator normally rotating through a predetermined number 01' revolutions for one revolution of said second indicator, means for starting said clock movement, means for rotating said second indicator at the speed of said first indicator and means operable prior to the start of said clock movement and including rotating said second indicator with said first indicator to any one of a plurality of predetermined points for adapting said first indicator to make variable numbers oi. revolutions for one revolution of said second time indicator.

11. In a time cloclrfor normally measuring and indicating the progress and termination of a predetermined time period, a time indicator and timing'means for driving the same, a first manually controlled means for starting the time indicator from a normal starting position, a second manually controlled means operable prior to the starting of said time indicator from said normal starting position for automatically adapting the time clock to measure and indicate a predetermined one of a plurality of other predetermined time periods, and means whereby all of said time intervals terminate with said indicator at said normal starting position.

12. In a time clock for normally measuring and said time intervals whereby said indicator indicates the termination of all of said time intervals at a common stopping point.

ROBERT STEENECK. 

